Red Skies Ahead
by TwitchyEars007
Summary: Two new pairs of amber eyes entered the white house for the first time in a long time. Edward never trusted them from the start. It's truth and lies again and only a matter of time before their Russian roulette comes to a sudden and violent end.
1. Phone Tag

Twilight Fanfiction!

Summary: Two new pairs of amber eyes entered the white house for the first time in a long time. Edward never trusted them from the start. It's truth and lies again and only a matter of time before their Russian roulette comes to a sudden and violent end. ECLIPSE SPIOLERS. EdwardBella

No new characters make their appearences in this short chapter yet. All existing characters are owned by S. Meyer.

--

"This isn't as bad as you think, honestly," Alice promised. Somehow, though, doubt entered my mind as the crimson bottle came out.

"You really like that color, don't you?" I muttered, curling my toes away.

She shot me a look, but the nail polish was unscrewed and the tiny brush was edging closer. I whimpered pathetically.

"Oh, _really_ Bella, after all you've been through-" she began, but then something happened. Her eyes got very wide and her whole body froze on the spot. The red brush fell to the white carpet unattended.

I took her shoulders carefully and willed her to look at me. "Alice? Alice, what do you see?" I questioned calmly.

She looked over my shoulder blankly for another minute, humming, and then snapped back into the current time. She stared at me with excitement and laughed musically under her breath.

"What was it?" I asked.

Alice gathered her brush again, ignoring the bright red stain on her expensive carpet. "Oh, nothing," she answered nonchalantly. "Now, let me see your feet…"

--

Around nine o' clock, Alice sighed. "He's here to take you away," she huffed.

I smiled hugely as the red paintbrush returned to its bottle and was sealed away. "Thanks a lot, Alice," I began.

She held up a white hand. "Don't even. I've hardly gotten started." She looked sad, her wide, obsidian eyes glistening at the thought, but suddenly something clicked, and she smiled brightly. "We'll just add it onto next time!"

I laughed nervously and pushed myself to a stand. Arms wrapped around my waist and he leaned into the side of my face, whispering in my ear. "I missed you."

I held my gasp, controlling my reaction. Instead, I twisted around in his arms until I met his vibrant amber gaze and tried to play it cool. "Me, too," I sighed. Somehow, I couldn't manage to subtract my sense of relief properly. He smiled.

"Thanks again, Alice," he said.

"Oh, no." She smiled too wide. "Thank _you_."

Something in Edward's face twisted as he tried to read her mind. I turned to scrutinize her face, to see if I could somehow find what he couldn't understand, but I couldn't tell. She was happily content. _Too_ happy, I might say.

"You're hiding something from me," Edward accused.

"Oh, me?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes. "I wouldn't _dream_ of it."

"Right," he said sourly, flashing his quick eyes to me, but I was just as mystified. "_You _wouldn't have anything to do with this, would you?"

"No," I answered honestly.

He set his mouth, flashed a look at Alice (she smiled again and waved), and we were gone.

I fell into his leather sofa softly, my head persuaded gently against the arm. Edward leaned over me, whispering in my skin. His fingers massaged my jaw with just the tips, moving silently and expertly.

I couldn't help smiling. "I still don't think I'm _quite_ as fragile as you've deluded yourself into believing."

He pulled back, a solemn expression masking his face, but his eyes glittered. "Oh, really?" he asked, brushing the length of my cheek with the back of his hand. "Please do tell."

"Maybe compared to _you_ I'm a tad more breakable, but I do believe I've proved my metal a series of times," I claimed proudly, puffing out my chest.

He couldn't completely control his expression enough to leave out a smirk. "Indeed, you have," he agreed. "But I'm not taking any chances. You knew this already."

"Yeah, but…" The way Jacob handled me before flashed behind my eyelids when I blinked. I inhaled sharply at the unexpected revisit into the tomb of memories I'd sworn to never open. How I felt so much closer, so much safer… "Never mind," I said quickly, distracting myself by reexamining his massive collection of CDs.

Edward eyed me carefully with a look I didn't like –only because it looked like he _knew_. He always did.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked gently, pulling back to examine my expression.

I opened my mouth, but was distracted by the beauty of his warm, honey eyes. They swam with emotions; the ones reflected now selfless interest touched with faint worry. He didn't want me to answer because of obligation or lie because of guilt. What he wanted was to relieve the stress from me, I realized.

I bit my lip as pain swept through me. How could anyone be so selfless? I could never return his kindness. It seemed like an impossibility to relate to or experience. I remembered something then that calmed the tenseness of the air.

Smiling softly, I whispered, "Nothing, Edward." He smiled briefly, but his eyes retained the anxiety behind them until he bent his head into my shoulder and lay there silently. "Because you are healing," I murmured, stroking his auburn hair, utterly content.

Edward breathed cool, sweet air out slowly in a sigh and relaxed his uneasy body.

_He_ was an impossibility.

--

The noisy little yellow telephone rang obnoxiously, screaming in the silent kitchen. Startled, I jumped five feet in the air and dropped my textbook on my foot.

"_Ow_," I hissed, hobbling over to the phone by pulling myself along the counter. It rang impatiently in its cradle.

"I'm getting there," I muttered angrily, picking up the phone. "Hello?" I tried to erase the irritation and pain from my voice.

"Hello. You must be Bella Swan?" a cool, feminine voice answered. It sounded like it was suppressing laughter.

"Yeah," I answered slowly, instantly cautious. "Are you a friend of Charlie's?"

"Oh, _heavens_, no," it laughed quietly. "I'm a friend of Edward's."

This shocked me. "Oh?" I asked, my voice suddenly uncomfortably high. Females and Edward didn't mix well with me.

"Yes. I know what he _is_, Bella. I know."

I fell against the counter, numb. "W-what? I don't understand," I stuttered. The diamond heart on my bracelet weaved through my fingers quickly.

"Well, it sounds like you're in on our little secret. At least you won't have a heart attack. Hopefully. I'd hate to offend Carlisle. I'll leave you to do whatever it is you were doing- sorry for the interruption. I just needed to hear it for myself. Tell Carlisle I say hello!"

"Wait," I gasped, still trying to warp my mind around the situation. "How-?"

"Ciao!"

The line went dead.


	2. One of those Days

Twilight Fanfiction!

Summary: Cat's Cradle pulled at the heart and swallowed the lies. When words are spoken, they become real and flutter freely away. The sooner they're taken seriously, the closer the speaker is to the truth. Try cutting an apple in equal halves without slicing the core. ECLIPSE SPIOLERS. EdwardBella

All existing characters are owned by S. Meyer.

Lyrics are from the song "Newborn" by Muse. Therefore, are not mine.

Candice and "Sunshine" are mine.

* * *

"Soulless is everywhere," she whispered, lips moving silently in the dim light. Amber eyes stared meaningfully into the darkness. 

Long and white, an arm draped over her shoulders, sparkling faintly in the blinking streetlight. "Hmmm?" he inquired quietly. Ragged, black-brown hair fell in front of his vibrant, but cool, ocher irises.

She laughed quietly, singing, "Show me its real. Wasting our last chance to come away."

"Oh. That song again. You like it, don't you?" he asked, dropping his arm and hooking his thumb into his jean pocket.

"Come on, Sunshine. You know you like it, too," she teased, snaking her arm around his waist and pushing her face into his chest.

'Sunshine' sighed, turning away. "This was your brilliant plan. You can at least see it through, just this once." He made a disgusted noise from the back of his throat. "We've traveled so _far_. I'll be very disappointed with you if we return empty handed, Candice.

Her eyes darkened perceivably at the words, and now stared into the empty streets with an acidic, brooding stare, her mind years away. "I'll see it through," she murmured. "I'll die before I give up now."

The other switched the song on his black music player, unaffected by the curdling tone suddenly saturating her voice. Silently, the two made their swift way through the empty streets, professionally leaving behind nothing of their existence except a green traffic sign Candice had enthusiastically written on in a vivid red liquid. Blood dripped onto the unkempt, rare city grass.

Seattle, five miles away, is what it informed passing travelers. For the first time in its fifty-year old life, the sign also read, "Almost there."

* * *

Bella sighed unnecessarily loudly, throwing her worn brown backpack into the kitchen seat and proceeding to the living room. Not much living had been done it in lately, and she decided it was about time they were properly reintroduced to each other. 

She snatched the small, jet remote balancing on the arm of Charlie's favorite reclining chair and flopped onto the wide sofa, completely spent. Lazily, she flipped on the little television.

"-to the afternoon news! Today, we'll be experiencing a light rain over in-."

Her resting brown eyes flashed open with a confused, frustrated look. She pressed a button for a random station.

Sneakers squeaked on a newly waxed gym floor. The crowd cheered as a basket was made.

She pressed the button again, sitting up a little more.

A man was leaning toward the flustered, but expectant, red haired woman. The scene darkened, she tipped her chin forward…

The sleek, silver version of a new laptop dominated the screen, and a muted voice was informing Bella it was the top model of the industry and only went for a few thousand dollars, and if she purchased it right now they'd throw in a mouse, just for her.

Voices rang out in a clichéd musical and the background dancers flung themselves all over in a ridiculous pattern to make the gliding couple in the spotlight look better, even with their perfect makeup and well-practiced routine.

Before she knew it, Bella was kneeling on the couch pressing the 'next' button furiously in a wild attempt to find a channel worth watching, even though if she paused to stop herself she'd have to admit she wasn't honestly interested in watching TV this second. Actually, this proved to be an amazingly accurate way to release all the pent up agitation that had accumulating throughout the short day.

Today was _supposed_ to be a day to catch up on all the yard work. Charlie wanted to go out fishing with his buddies, and after all the drama she'd caused him she figured it was about time his daughter did something special for him. Edward had asked if he could help, but she had stupidly declined. She had thought she was intelligent enough to work the simpleton machinery her father had bought and used on a yearly basis.

Sometimes, she could be such an _idiot_.

The grass needed cutting. They had a mower for it. It wasn't even one of the dangerous ones with sputtering blades and thundering engines, no. It was a push-lawn mower. Bella prided herself enough to work that. But, apparently, it wasn't meant to be.

The blade was old and rusted, and after a few feet shattered. After fetching the garden gloves, in which was a huge, hairy spider, and picking up the broken pieces, she decided that could wait.

She tried cutting the dead branches from the trees surrounding their property. Unfortunately, she didn't realize one of them was near the home of a large colony of quick-tempered bees. After losing her balance on the stepping ladder, falling on the dead branch, breaking it, and then somehow managing to knock the bees' hive with it as she fell to the ground, she raced to the open garage as the angry inhabitants chased her.

Luckily, she didn't appear to be stung. Unluckily, she tripped on her way to the house on the asphalt which left her entire left forearm in shower of shallow, stinging, dirty scrapes.

She had just finished fetching the backpack of medical bandages and disinfectant, and her arm still stung. Today was just going to be one of those days, she thought as she sighed and replaced the remote carefully on the small coffee table.

"Edward," she moaned softly, turning restlessly into the couch.

Nothing happened. Bella sighed heavily, realizing she was actually quite tired, and the sigh turned into a long yawn. She stretched her arm out and above her, extending her legs to the other side of the loveseat.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she found herself drifting. A familiar, perfect pair of lips smiled softly in her head, whispering something in her ear. There was a certain smooth and warm feeling to it that suggested the topic of marriage. She felt herself sigh lightly. He was going to get his way, although she loathed being _that girl_, as she had once told him. Oh, she'd do anything to delay the marriage. Anything except wait.

This seemed funny to her, when she thought about it that way. She hummed a laugh in her light sleep, thinking about _Bella Cullen_ and waiting for him to come home after hunting, how precious those days will be, those few short days. She wandered further into the dream; of her, human, waiting on the perfectly glossed staircase, and him, smiling as he kissed her deeply, fingering the diamond ring his mother once wore, decades ago, while somewhere in the background the door she hadn't seen open clicked shut softly.

They'd be happy, she realized distantly. That was what would make him truly happy. She'd always been looking for a way to please him, but it never seemed enough. This is what he wanted, and she wondered if it was what she wanted, too.

Coolness enveloped her hand, traced down her arm as the same soft pressure pulled the hair from her face.

"Did someone call my name?" he murmured in her ear, very quietly. She might have imagined the hushed whisper of words.

Bella pulled her chin down, hiding her smile behind her shoulder.

Edward clicked his tongue softly in disappointment, running a finger down the bandages. "I knew I shouldn't have listened," he scolded himself in the same muted tone.

She coughed a laugh, shrugging her shoulder higher, but her smile felt too wide. The atmosphere changed now, it felt so much lighter. Eyes still closed, she whispered, "Got you."

"I was preoccupied with the results of your latest adventure," he replied, leaning in. She could feel his cool breath rhythmically against her skin and opened her eyes eagerly.

He _was_ close. Immediately, he closed the gap and kissed her, one hand holding hers, and the other quietly enjoying the curve of her waist.

"What took you so long?" she asked, sliding her legs off to provide him with a seat.

"There's something going on at home, and I'm the only one who doesn't know it," he huffed, his golden eyes troubled. He sighed, pulling her to his chest.

Bella laughed. "Has this ever happened before?"

"Never. They've never kept anything from me. My birthday's not for a while, and there isn't anything else I can think of…"

"Hmm." She thought, too, knowing that it was worthless. His quick mind would have searched every detail she could ever fathom in seconds.

And they sat there in silence, Edward unconsciously rubbing her shoulder, and her tracing designs in the thin material covering his chest. By the time his phone rang, she was in his lap playing with his hair with a curious expression.

It flashed to his ear instantly. "What is it, Alice?" His voice was just a little rougher than usual, still troubled with lack of progress.

As he listened, his expression brightened. "What's that about?" he asked quickly.

Another moment passed, and Bella went about her business. It was just so _fascinating_, the way his hair curled around his ear and how each strand was absolutely perfect. The texture was smooth, and felt lovely threaded through her fingers. And the _smell_- it was as if he stepped out of the bath moments before.

Suddenly, she was in his arms and moving. She clung to his neck, opening her mouth to protest.

"Alice says it's a surprise, out of the blue," he answered in an excited rush, sliding her into the passenger seat of his mirror-clean Volvo.

By the time she turned her head, he had already started the engine and was swinging out of the driveway with a combination of speed and caution impossible by human standards. "What did she tell you?"

Edward was eager, and turned to answer her with wide, bright golden eyes. "All she said was that the surprise is for Carlisle, too, and that it's waiting at home now."

Bella smiled. She hoped, in the back of her mind as she watched him race down the small-town streets like the maniac he truly was, that one day she could make that light come into his eyes herself.

One day…

* * *

"Ah, and here he comes now," the youthful blond vampire announced quietly, turning to the door. 

"That's strange," they heard Edward mutter from the lawn. "I don't recognize this scent…" The unmistakable tap of human footsteps tracked noisily across the lawn.

The door opened, revealing two curious teenagers. Edward, eyes zeroing in on the difference of the room, pulled the human girl behind him to his side discreetly.

"Edward," Carlisle said, stepping forward, "I'd like you to meet an old acquaintance of mine, Candice, and her companion, Deye."

"That's D-e-y-e, pronounced like the phenomenon that is the rising of the sun in the sky," clarified a slim, female vampire, whose muddy yellow eyes sparked dangerously. The male beside her, clad in a nondescript, light gray jacket and faded jeans, nodded vaguely in acknowledgement. The pair seemed to be in mid-twenties at a glance. Both were also as white and hard as marble. Vampires.

"Hello," Edward greeted them, relaxing little.

"Hi." Bella said stiffly, smiling too wide. This was _not_ what she expected the surprise to be.

"Ah, Bella," the woman, Candice, said, gliding toward her with a startling grace. Almost like a snake in the grass. "It's nice to see you in the flesh." She smiled, displaying an array of sharp, pure white teeth.

Edward flashed a look at her, then Bella, who stared blankly back.

"On the telephone?" Candice prompted.

It took a second before Bella's eyes flooded with understanding. "Oh," she gasped, "that was you?"

When she answered, the cool voice was definitely familiar. "Yes, that was me." The vampire muffled laughter.

Bella glanced at Edward, who was ready to provide comfort. "You know Edward?" she asked as casually as she could manage.

Deye smiled while Candice burst out into a short, loud laugh. "No," he answered calmly. "She was… joking, in her own way. She actually knows Carlisle from England, long before Edward was reborn."

"If you want, I'd be more than happy to tell you all about it later," Candice offered, gliding back to Deye's side.

"Sure," Bella answered wholeheartedly. The idea of hearing another story from Carlisle's past perked her interest considerably. It also put her nerves to rest that she wasn't friendly with Edward.

"So, let's have the tour!" Candice said, clapping her hands together. Carlisle lead her toward the dining room, trailing Deye by the hand.

Bella was lead in a similar fashion to the living room. "I was never told of her," Edward reassured her in a whisper.

"Why are they here? Not that I mind, of course," she asked, fully aware of the vampires' superior hearing.

"The female is conscious of my ability and is careful to skirt around the reason, but the male hasn't touched on the thought yet." He chuckled suddenly. "She's very impressed by Carlisle's success here. She's remembering how little she had when they first met…" Edward's eyes lost focus, the hold on Bella's hand loosened slightly.

She waited patiently, curious, and he narrated. "Candice grew up with an old female vampire as an orphan in England… the house was just as old and falling apart. She managed to live on scraps while the elder fed on humans… then…" His eyes narrowed. He edited. "There's a lot of confusion… she didn't completely understand what was going on, but vampire slayers found her by chance, and she was changed out of a mixture of love and spite."

"Ah, good ol' Meiker," a sigh breathed in Bella's ear.

She whipped around, suddenly standing up in Edward's arms, and Candice was sitting in the sofa with the loyal Deye. Her smile was sad. "Wasn't it a lovely revere?" she murmured to Edward. "She loved me so much, she wanted me to live, even if it meant she'd have to take my life away to do it. And she fueled my will with her spite so I'd have something to drive me to survive through the lonely newborn years." She shook her head of memories.

Deye said, "We hear you plan on changing this little female here."

In a blur, Candice stood in front of Bella. She leaned down to see into her warm, wide, brown eyes and traced the side of her face with a curious expression. "I'm sorry, I just…haven't been able to see a human this close in so long…" She sighed and leaned away.

From the hallway, Carlisle said, "Candice changed Deye not fifty years ago. I thought they'd provide a clearer picture of Bella's options before she chose."

"Do you mind, Bella?" the oddball vampire asked with wide, earnest eyes.

"She doesn't bite," Deye laughed quietly.

" 'Course not," Bella blurted uncertainly.

Edward exchanged a strange expression with Calisle, who shook his head in a sigh.

"Excellent," Candice breathed. "Let's speak outside, hm? This homely place won't do for the full presentation."


	3. Colored Undertones

This chapter seems unnecessarily long, personally. I kinda shoved two things I wrote together and tried to string them together to make sense. (I hope it isn't that obvious) I might take a break from writing on to swing it with an orginal story I have.

* * *

Red Skies Ahead 

Chapter 3- Colored Undertones

Perfect oak hair whispered in the gusty winds, beat into a rhythmic dance around her moon-like skin. Deye's butterscotch eyes roamed the green landscape in several interested glances. He remained in close stay to Candice, who lead them confidently through the marsh and underbrush.

"Where are we going?" Edward asked politely.

"Your baseball field," Candice answered with subdued interest.

Bella was surprised by this answer, causing her concentration to waver. She stumbled on a root and was made to fall, but Edward was quick. He caught her with unnecessary concern and took a moment to stabilize her.

"Careful," he murmured in her ear. "Just hold on to me."

She nodded her head fervently, blushing. When she lifted her eyes to Candice, she just caught the look on the pale face before it disappeared in a flowing wave of brunette hair. They were walking again as she processed the emotion behind those carefully professional, darkened eyes of hers, the hint of a remorseful curve to her lips…

"Why?" Edward asked. It didn't look like he was asking out of innocent curiosity. Actually, with the hardened edge to his jaw, it looked like he was _daring_ her to answer.

"Carlisle suggested it. He says it's the widest area available here."

Edward's expression tightened, clearly disappointed. Bella examined the two visiting vampires, and admitted to herself that the way they passed through the forest, although casual in their infrequent sighs and comfortably human pace, contradicted their eyes. The calculations were visible in their irises, how they scrutinized every insignificant detail, every overturned leaf and cluster of gray pebbles, and took diligent mental notes.

They finally passed through the high arch of trees and broke into the vast, green clearing. Edward pulled Bella to the side while Candice flickered a few hundred feet ahead. Deye walked a yard or so in front of the couple as easily as if it were pure coincidence he wanted to remain in eyesight of them.

Bella watched Candice kneel on the earth in what seemed like concentration. Suddenly, Edward's body stiffened and he leaned forward, anxiety riddled on his face.

"What is it?" Bella whispered, tightening her grip on his sleeve. He was as immobile as the stone his skin resembled. She turned to Deye instead, whose eyes were frighteningly intent on Candice. His gaze flickered to Bella for an instant, where a look of shock betrayed him and he took a deep breath to relax.

"You allied with _werewolves?_" Candice's awed tone didn't match her expression; wild, electrified.

Deye instantly visibly stiffed, his lips twitching back over his teeth. Bella took a dramatic blink, trying to clear her head of the fog that appeared out of nowhere. When she opened them again, Deye was beside Candice, a hand on her arched back rubbing in soothing circles.

Edward's hand twined with Bella's almost roughly. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. "They're more loyal than _others_," he said quietly, intent on Candice's pronounced form. "They helped when others wouldn't. They can top you in that, at least."

Candice's entire body convulsed at his words. She spit in the grass, causing the grass there to sizzle a little. After that, though, she seemed to regain control of herself, almost. She couldn't quite erase the scowl lingering along the hard edge of her jaw, or the unbridled hate glinting in her hard, flint eyes.

"Bella." She tried to speak calmly. Her eyes never left Edward. "I understand you don't have the faintest idea what's taking place. When I became a vampire, I also acquired the ability to draw 'memories' from a place, or at least significant events that took place. Quite obviously, that would be one of them."

"Oh," she mouthed. What was she supposed to say to that?

Candice took a deep breath, closed her eyes. Then she looked at Bella with utter sincerity. "If you have the right people with you when you're rediscovering yourself, amazing things can happen. There can be _sense_ again, after you learn the rules. And after you're changed, it can be so confusing--."

"The _Volturi_?" Edward snarled, jerking Bella behind him.

Her gaze hardened again. "They can help."

"I think we're done here. I'm taking Bella to her house now. Don't you _dare_ follow us." The acid in his voice scared her. Bella shrunk into his back, hid her head in his shoulder without a second thought.

But then, they were flying through the wood. Browns and greens blurred past them, and once Bella realized she was on his back, she tightened her arms into a death grip around his stone neck and squeezed her legs around his waist.

"It'll be fine," he assured her, but his voice was still velvety rough. "I promise, I'll never leave your side tonight."

"I know," she whispered, pressing her face to the crook in his neck. "I trust you."

* * *

She was up in her room, a notebook in her lap and a textbook to her side. Bella scribbled in it furiously, flipped the page, and began again.

Edward snapped his cell phone shut and exhaled sharply.

"What is it?" she asked, still looking at her notes.

"Carlisle's going to let them stay." He sounded tired, irritated.

She glanced up with worry. He was leaning against the far wall, his golden eyes burning into hers with stubborn frustration. He let out another aggravated sigh, rolling his gaze toward the window, splattered with snakes of rain.

"I suppose it's a smart move. We want to stay on the Volturi's good side while they're so close, and it gives them less reason to involve anyone else."

"Why would that do that?" Bella asked, throwing her books aside.

He answered as he crossed the room. "The Volturi will use any means necessary, which is not limited to hostages or murder." He perched on the edge of the bed and took her hand. "I don't understand why they're being so persistent. It's completely unprecedented, goes opposite to any pattern they've kept up. I hate keeping you in danger. Isn't the stress affecting your health?"

She smiled gently at him, leaned against his shoulder. "I don't have any reason to be stressed with you as my guardian. I know you'll figure it out."

He played with her fingers, and she knew he was scowling. She pulled back, tug her hand free, and framed his perfect face. "Stop stressing yourself out," she demanded, locking onto his eyes with a powerful force, trying to shake the exhausted look there.

"Carlisle's a smart guy. There's gotta be another side, too. If the Volturi are so used to their patterns, there has to be another factor in play. Besides, they weren't coming off as violent. They didn't send Jane- they sent those other two, who, so far, seem pretty ok to me. So stop being so _glum_, will you?"

Edward shook his head and took her in his arms. "Bella," he whispered, stroking her long hair, "no matter who they sent, they mean you harm. But I will consider your opinion. I'll make sure Jasper gets a background check on these two, like we should have done when they first came."

She pulled back to examine his face with an expression of confusion. "His days in the army come in handy," he explained. "Go to sleep already. I'll keep an eye on you."

"I'm not _worried_," she grumbled, but slipped under the covers without another word. Edward chuckled and stood up, making to return to his place on the wall, but Bella spoke up.

"Hey, hey," she said, grabbing his shirt. "Where do you think you're going? The only way I can feel safe is if you're right _here_." She wiggled to the side to make room for him.

Edward sighed, but he was smiling as he sat down again. Bella made sure to lift the cover up high to indicate he was to lie beneath them. He just shook her head, mumbled something like, "you'll get the chills," under his breath, but wrapped her in his arms. Lying there, she definitely felt safe, both for herself and for him.

She didn't put it past Edward to go off in the night and try to solve their little problem without her. But, for the rest of eternity, they were going to do things _together_. This was the perfect place to start.

* * *

She lay listlessly on the couch, her pale face pressed lightly against the window. Waves of warm oak hues spilled over the white fabric, only partly obscuring her skin that caught the filtered sunlight and displayed a muted refraction on the walls. A light sigh lingered on her parted lips, spreading far and thin in the clinging atmosphere.

"Candice…"

Deye waited in quiet observation for her to soak up whatever light she could. He knew her desires well.

The light of his black cell phone dappled the pocket of his sweatshirt suddenly, after the silent flurry of his white fingertips had slipped it into its artificially conscious state. It took a millisecond for his tawny eyes to register the digits there, and he waited another short minute.

"Twelve twenty," he replied in a muted tone to the unasked question. "That gives us two hours before we can expect their return."

Her pale lips unwilling twisted up in a smile. Her long-lashed eyes opened in quick flutters, revealing behind them a black onyx retaining small traces of gold. "That's right," she whispered softly. "We should be back when the _students_ come home from school."

He smirked in response, remaining silent.

Candice sat up, arching her back and yawning unnecessarily. "Well, let's get on with it," she said, slipping off the love seat and crossing the room with uneasy grace. He ducked his head slightly and followed, shutting the door behind with a soft click.

* * *

Bella moaned loudly, knocking through the door with her arms wrapped tightly around her chest. Edward closed the door quickly from the torrential rainfall, carefully averting his eyes to the staircase. Embarrassment made his voice shake slightly as he said, "I'll be back in a moment."

With that, he was a streak up the staircase. Bella took this chance to rush to the lonely white couch, sitting with her legs curled against her chest and her forehead pressed against her knees.

"Bella, here…"

She raised her head slightly, face burning furiously. "Thanks, Edward," she mumbled, taking his black shirt carefully. He opened his mouth, hesitated, and then turned to face away from her. "Er- you'll get drier quicker this way." He held out his hand.

It took a moment, but she finally understood. "Oh," she breathed, standing awkwardly and shrinking a few feet away. In one jerky movement, she ripped her soaked _white_ shirt off and slid on his cool one. Hand shaking, she gave him the knot of dripping clothing.

He disappeared again. To the drier, she thought. In an attempt to banish the horrid blush, Bella took deep breaths and reclaimed her seat on the couch carefully, only perching on the edge. She immediately stood back up, though, remarking at its wetness.

Edward was beside her, smiling comfortingly. "I'm so sorry," she said, eyes wide. "I didn't realize- I hope it isn't ruined, it must be so expensive-."

"It's fine," he reassured her. "It'll dry out. Are you alright? Would you like a blanket?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Don't get carried away, it was just raining a little-."

Edward smiled again, revealing a jacket from behind him. Bella sighed, but slid her arms in the slots when he raised it for her. They walked to the kitchen together, his hands lingering on her waist as Bella tucked her arms tightly to her chest.

She took a seat in one of the wrought iron chairs and he walked to the unnecessarily large refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of water.

"Why do you even have that?" she asked, tugging the too-long sleeves back so she could adequately unscrew the top.

"Mostly for when you come over," he answered honestly, pulling his chair close to hers. She opened her mouth to protest, but he was quicker. "You have no idea how pleasing it is to see you wear that," he murmured, looking her over once before glancing up beneath his lashes.

It worked. Bella blinked significantly twice, found no words come to her tongue, and instead took a deep swig of water. He chuckled beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. She stubbornly set her eyes to the ceiling, brows creasing in thought. Then, she slowly set the bottle to the table and turned to his bemused, beautiful face.

"You're ridiculous," she stated bluntly.

He laughed quietly, but sobered quickly and leaned in. Bella, temporarily forgetting why, exactly, she was talking at all, eagerly met him.

Just then, the door knocked open. Edward jolted up, eyes wide with shock. Bella stood up, too, grabbing his hand anxiously.

"Damn it!" Candice cursed loudly. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

"Shush," came Deye's muted voice.

"What the hell were you doing? We almost _had_ the damn fool, then you—_ugh_!"

Footsteps, very audible for once, pounded towards the kitchen.

"Calm down," Deye tried to soothe her, but heat was rising in his voice. "If you were paying attention, perhaps it wouldn't have been so obvious that you were trying to-."

"Shut up!"

Candice flew around the corner and stopped so abruptly her hair jerked horizontally, then fell in a mess around her shell-shocked expression. Deye shuffled in behind her, apparently noticing they weren't alone.

Edward was clearly dominant as he stepped directly in front of Candice. She glared with such a burning rage at the paneled floor it should have left a scorch mark.

"No use hiding it now," he said smoothly. "I think it's pretty clear you weren't hunting."

She snarled at the floor. After a minute of struggled composure, she met his gaze, though her eyes were far from cleared of their furious haze. "No," she said tersely. "I guess not."

Suddenly, Edward's posture shifted. He stiffened, his lips pulling back ever slightly, and his eyes flattening as they gained understanding. "Why don't we cut straight to truth," he snapped. Candice took a step back, black eyes blazing. "Your visit wasn't just to be a spokesperson. You're after someone."

"That's right," she spat vehemently. "I'm after one of the _Blacks_."

Bella, stunned to immobility the entire conversation, gasped loudly. Her brown eyes lost focus, she swayed once, and then she fainted. Edward turned to her immediately, easily catching her limp body.

He glared at Candice. "Lie after lie. You've got some explaining to do."

She silently returned it with blazing ferocity, hands balled into impossibly tight fists at her sides. Deye simply sighed and swayed to her side. "We'll be as honest as we can be."


End file.
